Perfume dispenser



Oct. 4, 1955 Z, s, TAUBE I 2,719,314

PERFUME DISPENSER Filed Jan. 27, 1951 ZYQA 5'. Zia/5E,

IN V EN TOR.

T roe/Vex.

nited States Patent PERFUME DISPENSER Application January 27, 1951, Serial No. 208,180

, 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-132.7)

The present invention relates to improvements in perfume dispensers, designed to permit application of minute quantities of perfume to the skin or hair by rolling contact of a feeding ball with the skin. The invention is particularly directed to a construction which is simple, economicaliand effective, the perfume-distributing ball also acting as a seal or closure to the container in which perfume is stored.

The design of a perfume dispenser must take into consideration the volatility of the perfume and the readiness with which such perfume seeps through minute openings. Moreover, many perfumes upon evaporation leave gummy residues which tend to clog minute orices. In actual use, a dispenser should be capable of ejecting, liberating or feeding very minute quantities of perfume. The cost of the device must be small.

In order to prevent evaporation losses and insure the discharge of but minute quantities of perfume, prior devices have employed fine capillary discharge ports, but such small-diameter ports are readily clogged, rendering the device ineffective. In other instances, devices have been provided with threaded caps which applied sealing gaskets to the discharge apertures, but this expedient is not satisfactory since the threadingl and unthreading of a cap is time-consuming, generally involves the use of two hands and such caps are often lost. Other perfume Vdispensers employing pistons and atomizing nozzles have been designed heretofore, but these devices are tooexpensive to appeal to the general buying public.

The present invention utilizes a rolling ball as an applicator, it being well known in the writing instrument art that a rolling ball can feed small quantities of liquid to. a desired surface. Ball-pointed writing instruments are well known in the art and various constructions have beenshown in old patents, such as United States Letters Patents No. 853,156, No. 894,488 and No. 1,563,408. Although in general, the conceptV of using a rolling ball for the application of a lrn of liquid is not new, it has been found that the constructions heretofore employed in themanufacture of writing instruments employing a rolling vball are totally unsuited to the distribution of a' volatile, penetrating liquid such as an alcoholic perfume. Furthermore, the prior constructions, asY exemplified by writing instruments, are complex and expensive and no provision exists therein for completely sealing the contents of the dispenser against leakage of the liquid contents when the device is not in use. On the contrary, most ball-pointed writing instruments include an air access hole leading-to the chamber in which the body of ink is kept. Such aperture or hole would destroy the utility of a perfume dispenser.

The device of the present invention utilizes a feeding assemblyV construction in which the resiliency of the materials employed plays an important part. VA unitary housing is provided, such housing terminating in an aperture leadinginto a spherical recess. The integral wall piece integral wall 12 of cylinder 11 may be provided 2,719,314 Patented Oct. 4,v 1955 ICG the spherical recess is normally seated against the housing by the pressure of a spring acting against the resilient partition upon which the ball rests. Such seating occurs in a spherical zone adjacent the port and normally serves to seal the housing against the escape of perfume vapors. External pressure against the ball unseats the ball from the sealing zone for rotation within the recess, the ball conveying on its surface liquid supplied through the reticulated partition for deposit upon the surface of the skin by rolling contact of the ball. When pressure is relieved by removal of the dispenser from contact with the skin surface, a spring within the container biases the partition and the ball forwardly into seating contact with the sealing zone.

An object of this invention is to design and provide a self-closing, self-sealing dispenser for perfume or a volatile liquid operable in a novel manner.

Another object of this invention is to design and provide a dispenser for volatile liquid wherein minute quantities of the liquid are deposited upon a surface by pressurecontact of a rolling ball which conveys liquid from a supply within the dispenser.

l A further object of this invention is to design and provide a perfume dispenser wherein minute quantities of perfume are effectively and efficiently deposited upon a selected surface and wherein the housing for the perfume is immediately and automatically sealed upon removal of the dispenser from contact with the surface to which the perfume is being applied.

A further object of this invention is to provide a perfume dispenser wherein a resilient elastic construction retains a rigid ball in sealing relation to a ported end of the dispenser, said ball being operable under external pressure to be inwardly displaced for rolling contact with a surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively friction free cradle or ball seat for the perfume dispensing ball when the ball is in rolling contact with a surface for smoothly and uniformly dispensing perfume.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a perfume dispenser embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dispenser shown in Fig. l, the section being taken in a plane bisecting the dispenser as indicated by line II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the perfume-dispensing end in sealed and closed relationship, the section being taken in the plane indicated by line III--III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the perfume-dispensing end in open operative relationship for dispensing liquid upon a surface.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken in a transverse plane indicated by line V-V of Fig. 3.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, a perfume dispenser generally indicated at 10 comprises an integral one-piece hollow tubular cylinder or housing 11 preferably made as by an injection molding of a suitable polyethylene material having characteristics of resiliency and elasticity. A continuous onewith a uniform section throughout almost its entire length. At a feeding assembly or perfume dispensing end 13, wall 12 may be provided with a somewhat thicker section to provide an external annular shoulder 14. An

y outer casing 15 may seat against said shoulder 14 and of such recess is defined by a reticulatedresilient parti- 7 tion integral with the housing. A ball retained within may enclose the cylindrical portion of the cylinder. An annular outwardly projecting rib 15a cooperates with a complementary annular groove in the casing to secure the casing on the cylinder 11.

The thicker wall section ofend 13 may be smoothly curved inwardly-toward; the axis of the cylinder to provide. a bullet-shapedend. The-- inwardlycur-ved wall` terminates in an annular resilient lip portion 16 dening a port 17 coaxial with the cylinder.

integrally-formed withiy end 13- is-y a perforated orreticulated transverse resilientpartition 18- spaced inwardly- 'll-he partition- 18 comprisesintersectingtion` provides' forthe-center--of the spherical surface ofthe--recess-to-be` spacedinwardly-from port l-' sothat tlerinner. surfaceof lipJ portion 16 isA curved inwardly toward the axis of the cylinder toprovide a spherical sealingzone.-

A. rigid' smooth surfaced balli 22; having asphericaly radius of virtually the same dimension as the radiusv of( thesphericali-surfaces ofthe recess-,- isreceivedwithin saidrecess.- the-ball'y into therecess, thematerial ofthelip-portion 16 being sufficientlyresilient and'- elastic to expand to allow the ball to be thus inserted., Whenthe ball is positionedi withinthe recessthelippor-tion 16-- resiliently contracts and snugly andl closely contacts a-spherical-Zoneoff the ball in, sealing relationoutwardly ofthecenter vof the spherical recess- The` partition 18- is biased outwardly againstball- 22 by spring means 23, said spring4 means 23- having anend turn 24 seated against: partition 18 and positioned thereon by aninwardly extending-boss 25. The spring means `23'- also serves to-urge the ballrinto sealing-relation with innersurface of lip-portion 16. The oppositeend offspring means 23-mayfbe-seated'-against a bottom-wall'- 26i of al cup-shapedv plug- 27', said plug having acylindrical portion closely fitting against internal surfaces of' the` opposite end-'- ofq cylinder 11Y to close open end 28 thereof.'

Due` to the resiliency and elasticity ofthe4 materialof the molded housing, creation of-l internal pressures during assemblyand lling should'- be avoided. Anexemplary procedure for assembling and filling the dispenser may comprise positioning spring. 23- within the cylinder through openend 28 and sealing end 28. by inserting plug 27 until spring 23= is lightlyv compressed against; the.resilientpartition- 18. A- selected' amount of perfume iluid is then injected intothe cylinder throughrecess 211. into-the recess 22- andsealably engages. the lip portion 1261 toreleasably seal the perfume` duid. Plug 27f entirely seals open end 28; No air vent is-providedbecause such` a vent would obviouslyl permit continuous volatilization` off perfume carried within the cylinder;

The ball 22 and theresilient elastic construction of thelip por-tion. 16l and tr-ansversepartition. 18 provide a self-closing, self-sealing means=for the perfume-dispensing endf of thedispenser 11.. Inclosed and sealed: relation the lip portion`16 tightly embracesa spherical.' sealingvv zone-onball 22. The spring means 23 biases.- the transf. verse partition-18l forwardly to-rfacilitate` the sealing-action.

the-action of the spring means-23' andthe-resilient elasticpartition 18. Suchaxial inward'v displacement. of. ball:

Z-'permits the ball toA rotate within recess 2,1-, and: tov conveyliquid on the ball: surface tothe skin; surface-,to which itJ isbeing applied. 'I'.'hev surface offthe rolling.

ball is--providedf continuous wetting.y contact with` perfume liquid through the apertures 201in;thelreticulatedapare.

titi'on-18. As-the balli rolls inits. contact with-.ther skin rlhe ball 22Y may beinserted by forcing- The ball 22 may then be forciblyinserted-` surface minute quantities of liquid carried by the ball surface are conveyed to-port 1-7 and then. deposited uponthe skin surface.

It will be readily apparent that when the applying pressure is relieved, as when the dispenser is removed from contact with a skin surface, the spring means Z3 and resilient partition 18., cause the ball to be displaced axially outwardly so that the lip portion 16 engages the ball in a spherical'- sealingzone whichprohibits escape of perfume` liquid or. volatilizedf liquid. carried, within, the? dispenser.-

The relationship of the ball 22, resilient partition-- or web 18, andy thev spring 23 Should be particularly noted. The resilient partition 18serves to provide a relatively friction-free, smoothsurfacedcradle for the ball to roll in when the ball contacts the skin while dispensing perfume. Thus the ball may freely rotate even though the springv is exerting an outwardly directed pressure against the partition. Such-l free rotation results-in asmooth and uniform dispensing action.V

The partition 18 also serves to restrain ortemper theamount of outwardly directedV pressure transmitted from-- thev spring to the balli by the resiliency of the partition-- material and by distribution of stress to the integral encircling thick inwardly curvingwall section offend 13'.- The resilient partition thus transmits sucient'force-to. the; ball for sealing contacty with` the lip portion, but also acts asY a control or dampening-means tosaidA springforces which might cause cold; ow'of the lip-portion and: eventual ejection ofthe ball from the recess; aconditionwhich would occur if the spring'were-directlyacting-on; the ball; i

The perfume dispenser described abovethus providesY a means for smoothly andA uniformly applying-'minutequantities of-y perfume liquidl' to selected areas of askin surface` without loss of: such liquid' toareaswherede-v posit of; perfume is not' desred (as in a perfumeatomizer), The-perfume dispenser-ofA this invention is-capableof applying minutey quantities` of perfumewithoutI wastebecause of the direct positiveI contactof the perfumeliquid conveying ball with the desired' selected surface..

It is understood: that; other resilient and elasticmaterials may be employed toprovide aresilientselfseal-- ing, self-closing perfume liquid feeding assembly, and' that other means maybe usedfor retaining and position-fing the rigid ball in operativeA relationshipwith the port.-

All other, modifications and1changes-ofstheabove de-4 scribed embodiment coming within the s cope oflthe-appended claimsare embracedjthereby;

Iclaim:

l. A perfume dispenser comprising: a= preformed hol-'- low cylinder provided with a closure member-at-one-end and having its wall curvingrl inwardly toward the axis-ofi the cylinder to form a bullet'shapedportion at1theotherend;l a reticulateditransvrSe' partition integral with said-vbullet shaped end portion; a preformed recess Within-the bullet;sh' 1pedv portion deii'nedE by Walls of the cylinder andl the reticulated partition, the; internal,V surface ofthe recessbeing spherical; smoothand extending overa solid `angle` of over`2v pi steradians but less-than 41pi-steradians and`- terminatingin a marginal` sealing'zoneyaport; axially/po sitionedwith respect'to the cylinder, leading into-the-recess;- the wall of thecylinder being resilient and elastic, inthe. region' of the spherical recess, to permit passage. oft a virtually rigid ballinto said recess, through said portand-l to grasp said ballrv by the marginal; sealingzone; the re-` ticulated transverse partition being resiliently elastica-nde arranged to be inwardly deflectedby, application of-pressurelv on the balljwithin the recess tov allowrotationof' the ball in the recess out of" sealing contact withthe sealing zone and the, conveyance ofv` liquid' supplied to they surface, 0 f. 3.1.6.. ball toY the, p ort; and: spring` means;r Within.. the. cylinder, biasing; the. partition. into.r Contact. Withithe-,ballto normally. Seatthelatter. agains...the.inner. surface ont ,e-fwalliofi'the recess.

2. A perfume dispenser comprising: a preformed hollow cylinder having its wall curving inwardly toward the axis of the cylinder to form a bullet shaped end portion, a closure member for the opposite end portion of thecylinder; a reticulated transverse partition integral with said bullet shaped end portion; a preformed recess within the bullet shaped portion defined by walls of the cylinder and the reticulated partition, the internal surface of the recess being spherical; a port, axially positioned With respect to the cylinder, leading into the recess; the wall of the cylinder being resilient and elastic, in the region of the spherical recess, to permit passage of a virtually rigid ball into said recess through said port and to sealingly retain said ball against outward displacement; the reticulated transverse partition being resiliently elastic and arranged to be inwardly deflected by application of pressure on the ball within the recess to allow rotation of the ball in the recess and conveyance of liquid supplied to the ball through reticulations of the partition by said ball to the port, said resilient elastic partition normally biasing the ball outwardly into seating contact with the inner surface of the wall of the cylinder adjacent said port.

3. A perfume dispenser comprising: a preformed hollow cylinder having its wall curving inwardly toward the axis of the cylinder to form a bullet-shaped end portion, a closure member for the opposite end portion of the cylinder; a reticulated transverse partition integral with said bullet-shaped end portion; a preformed recess within the bullet-shaped portion defined by walls of the cylinder and the reticulated partition, the internal surface of the recess being spherical, smooth and extending over a solid angle of over 2 pi steradians but less than 4 pi steradians; a port, axially positioned with respect to the cylinder, leading into the recess; a virtually rigid ball retained in said recess, the inwardly curved wall of the cylinder being resilient and elastic; the reticulated transverse partition being resiliently elastic and arranged to be inwardly deflected by application of pressure on a ball within the recess to allow rotation of the ball in the recess and the conveyance of liquid supplied to the ball through reticulations of the partition, by said ball to the port; and spring means within the cylinder biasing the partition into contact with the ball to seal and to close the port by contact of the ball with the inwardly curved wall of the cylinder.

4. A self-closing, self-sealing dispenser for perfume adapted to deposit minute quantities of perfume upon a surface by rolling pressure contact, comprising: a preformed, unitary, hollow tubular housing provided at one end with a closure member and at the other end with a coaxial port defined by an encircling inwardly curved resilient lip portion; a perforated transverse resilient partition inwardly of said port and integral with said lip portion; a preformed recess defined by said partition and said lip portion, the surfaces of said recess being spherical and extending over a solid angle of greater than 2 pi steradians but less than 4 pi steradians; a virtually rigid smooth surfaced ball within said recess having a radius corresponding to the radius of the spherical surfaces of said recess; spring means Within the housing biasing the partition into pressure contact with the ball to normally seat said ball against the inner surface of the lip portion to close said port along a spherical sealing zone; said partition being inwardly deflected by application of external pressure on the ball to allow rotation of the ball in the recess and to space said sealing zone from the ball, liquid being supplied to the ball through the perforations of the partition and carried by rotation of the ball to the port for deposit on a surface to which the liquid is to be applied.

a coaxial port defined by an encircling resilient 4elastic inwardly curved lip portion; a perforated resilient elastic transverse partition inwardly of said port and integral with said lip portion; a preformed recess 'defined by said partition and said lip portion, the surfaces of said recess being spherical; a virtually rigid smooth surfaced, ball within said recess having a radius corresponding to the radius of the spherical surfaces of said recess; spring means within the housing biasing the partition into pressure contact with the ball to normally seat said ball against the inner surface of the resilient lip portion to close said port along a spherical sealing zone; said resilient partition being inwardly deflected by application of external pressure on the ball to allow rotation of the ball in the recess out of sealing contact with the sealing zone, liquid being supplied to the ball through the perforations of the partition and carried by rotation of the ball to the port for deposit on a surface to which the liquid is to be applied.

6. In a self-closing, self-sealing dispenser for volatile liquids comprising: a preformed housing provided with a closure member at one end and provided with a port defined by an encircling inwardly curved resilient lip portion, said lip portion having an internal arcuate surface forming a spherical zone; a virtually rigid smooth ball normally biased into sealing contact against said arcuate surface to close said port; and resilient means within the housing retaining said ball in operative relationship with said port said resilient retaining means including an elastic means integral with said housing and having a surface merging with said arcuate surface to form a recess virtually complementary to a portion of said ball; said ball being rotatable by application of external pressure thereto for spacing the arcuate surface from the ball and for conveying liquid within the housing on the face of the ball for deposit upon a selected surface.

7. In a self-closing, self-sealing dispenser for volatile liquids comprising: a preformed housing provided with a closure member at one end and provided with a port defined by an encircling inwardly curved resilient lip portion, said lip portion having an internal arcuate surface forming a spherical zone; a virtually rigid smooth ball normally biased into sealing contact with said arcuate surface to close said port; and resilient means within the housing retaining said ball in operative relationship with said port, said resilient means including a perforated resilient partition integral with the housing and provided with spherical surfaces defining with said arcuate surface a partially spherical recess; said ball being rotatable by application of external pressure thereto for spacing the arcuate surface from the ball and for conveying liquid Within the housing on the face of the ball for deposit upon a selected surface.

8. In a self-closing, self-sealing dispenser for volatile liquids, the combination of: a preformed molded housing provided with a closure means adjacent one end and provided with a port defined by an encircling, inwardly curved resilient lip portion, said lip portion having an internal arcuate surface forming a spherical zone; a perforated resilient partition integral with the housing and adjacent to the lip portion, said partition having spherical surfaces smoothly merging with the internal arcuate surface of the lip portion to provide a partially spherical recess; a virtually smooth, rigid ball having a radius virtually corresponding to the radius of the spherical recess held in said recess between said lip portion and said partition and resiliently grasped thereby, said ball being normally biased outwardly to sealingly contact said arcuate surface along said spherical zone, said ball being rotatable by application of external pressure thereto to displace said ball inwardly against said resilient partition to break the seal at said spherical zone and to allow virtually unobstructed conveyance of liquid on the sur- Brenton May 7; 19071 Grund` Feb; 26; 1924'- 8 Sutherland,v-f---r-ffmDec..1,.1925 Bjro ..v r 4 Oct. 154, 19,41L Beaumier 1 1-v- May 85 1945..

FOREIGNv PATENTS.

France Sept. 1651921' France Jan. 3; 1949 

